The Children’s Ark

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children really enjoy coming to this nursery. They are greeted warmly by knowledgeable and caring adults.

Children happily find their friends and settle quickly. This is because activities are carefully planned to meet their interests and to motivate them to learn. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress as adults want them to succeed.

There is a well-planned and sequenced curriculum in place to ensure all children access activities that support their learning in a meaningful way. For example, pre-school children explore water in the garden to develop ...their small-muscle skills to help their emergent writing skills. They use pipettes to move water into cylinders.

They use language to describe volume and space. Toddlers learn to share toys as they play in the sandpit together.Children feel very safe and secure as adults skilfully meet their needs and interests.

All children develop excellent self-help skills and have a confident can-do attitude in all they do. For example, pre-school children help to prepare their own snack. They spread butter on crackers using a knife and help chop fruit.

Toddlers willingly have a go at putting on wellington boots to go outside.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Adults skilfully assess all children when they start to ensure they make good progress across all areas of learning. Children develop a good understanding of mathematics.

For example, pre-school children count out shells into numbered pots, discussing 'more' and 'less'. They recognise number symbols and understand the quantity of each. Toddlers explore two-dimensional shapes in the garden, learning the names for them, and attempt to draw them.

All children learn about the world around them. They look after vegetables and flowers they have planted. Pre-school children go on walks to look at the changes in the seasons and think about the weather.

Children learn about countries as they share stories of where they have all travelled to.Children develop a love of stories and books as adults expertly read to them regularly throughout the day. Babies and toddlers learn new words rapidly as adults model language well.

Toddlers look at books, repeating words as they hear them. All children love to take part in music and movement sessions. Pre-school children develop their writing skills and regularly have a go at writing their names on their pictures.

Sometimes, adults miss opportunities to extend children's learning, for example by supporting children to hold pencils more effectively so they have greater control when making marks.Children with SEND make very good progress. There are robust systems in place to ensure these children have the right support to help them succeed.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENDCo) works very effectively in partnership with outside agencies and parents to ensure all children with SEND are supported well. They collectively set targets and work together to support each child.Leaders are extremely committed to ensuring the best outcomes for all children.

They recognise the nursery's strengths and weaknesses very clearly. Leaders have introduced many effective support systems to ensure continuity of education and care for all children who attend. Leaders ensure adults can access training and they support their well-being through effective supervision sessions.

However, systems to mentor adults and improve their already good practice are not yet in place. This means adults do not challenge older children more to solve problems and make stronger links in their learning.Children have very high levels of respect for each other and the environment.

For example, pre-school children work together to set up a reading den outside. They carefully select and use the resources. Toddlers bring each other trucks to play with outside.

Children are extremely confident about what they can and cannot do because adults intelligently support and encourage them.Partnerships with parents are very effective. Parents value the education that the nursery provides.

They know that their children make good progress as the adults share each child's achievements effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All adults have excellent knowledge of how to safeguard children.

The know how to recognise possible signs of abuse. All adults understand their responsibilities to protect the welfare of children and know how to act if they have concerns. Leaders have implemented robust systems to train adults and keep their knowledge up to date and accurate.

There are very effective systems in place to recruit adults safely and ensure their ongoing suitability to work with children. Leaders regularly assess risk and take appropriate action to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's teaching skills further so that they provide greater challenge for older children.

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